Secret St Albans

St Albans has a long and fascinating history back to the Celtic and Roman city of Verulamium and martyrdom of St Alban. The abbey church was built on the site of the shrine of St Alban and became a popular place of pilgrimage while the surrounding settlement developed as a market town. Many coaching inns were built as it lay on the busy Watling Street route north out of London and gradually the town expanded, becoming a city in 1877 and growing still further until today.In this book local author Kate Morris delves into the history of St Albans, looking at the stories behind broad themes in its history from Roman times to the present day, including the role of the mediaeval Abbey, the powerful political families and their interests in the borough, its military connections, not least with John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, the industries that characterised the town, particularly printing, and the many institutions that supported the populace, from endowments for the poor to schools and workhouses.Secret St Albans explores the less well-known episodes and characters in the history of this city through the centuries. With tales of remarkable characters and unusual events, fully illustrated with photography, it will appeal to all those with an interest in the history in this cathedral city in Hertfordshire.